Control for trail builders



March 23, 1943.- L. O. BIRD EI'AL CONTROL FOR TRAILBUILDERS OriginalFiled June 1 Inventors Patented Mar. 23, 1943 CONTROL FOR TRAIL BUILDERSLen 0. Bird, Glendale, and Edward P. Drake, Los Angeles, Calif.,assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to. R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc.,Stockton, Galit, a corporation of California Original application 1m 1,1935, Serial No.

1939, Serial No. 286,210-

9 Claims. (Cl. 37-144) This invention relates to trailbuilders andsimilar. tractor operated earth moving apparatus and more particularlypertains to an improved control means which provides for raising,lowering, and tilting the blade or implement of a trailcharacterdescribed, which is superior to controls as heretofore used, in point ofrelative simplicity of construction, strength, durability, reliabilityof performance. and greater nicety of operation, and, also by reason ofthe fact that it includes upstanding yoke-like frames which straddle theupper runs of the tracks and are secured to the inner and outer sides ofthe track frames at points approximately midway of the ends of thelatter; in combination with pusher arms pivoted at their rear endsadjacent the rear ends of the track frames and extending forwardly ofthe tractor for supporting the blade, upstanding levers free at theirupper ends and fixed at their lower ends to said rear ends of the pusherarms and disposed for the most part rearwardly of said yoke-like frames,and separately and simultaneously operable power operated deviceconnected with said free upper ends of said yoke-like frames whereby thelevers may be independently and simultaneously operated at will forcontrolling said blade.

The control means of our invention byv reason of the aforesaidconstructions and arrangements make possible power operated movements ofthe blade into ground working position and a power controlled retentionof the blade in such positions and also provides for lifting one end ofthe blade while effecting a power actuated lowering and retention of theother end of the blade in an adjusted position. Moreover such controlmeans does not tend to lift the tracks and interfere with the tractiveeffort thereof but on the contrary operates to push and hold down theforward end of the tractor due to the location of the yokelike framesand the levers and the position and action of the power actuated deviceswhich are connected between said framesand levers. Other factorscontributing to a fully controlled operation of the blade withoutinterfering with the tractive action of th tracks and which also preventthe vertical movements of the tracks from appreciably lifting or tiltingthe blade when oper- Divided and this application July 24,

ating over rough ground are the particular disposition of theyoke-frames which straddle the tracks, the location of the levers at therear of the pusher arms, the free upper ends of the levers and theparticular arrangement of the power actuated devices which provide forindependent action of the levers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view. the invention hereofconsists in the combination. correlation and construction of parts,elements and features which will be described in the followingspecification and finally pointed out in the claims hereto appended, itbeing understood that the apparatus of our invention is subject tomodification within the scope of said claims.

. In the drawing: I I

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a trailbuilder embodying the control meansof our invention.

.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the trailbuilder shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

One form of tractor trailbuilder embodying the control means of ourinvention is shown in detail in the accompanying drawing and will now bedescribed in detail.

In carrying out our invention each tracklayer frame 6 of the tractor 5is provided with two pairs of legs 232, which are arranged so that eachpair of the legs 232 straddles the tracklayer. The lower ends of twopairs of the legs 232 are mounted on the tracklayer frames 6 near theforward ends thereof, as shown at 233, and the lower ends of the othertwo pairs of legs 232 are mounted on the tracklayer frames 6 near therear ends of same, as shown at 234. The upper ends of each two pairs ofthe legs 232 are connected together by means of a common pivot pin 235which also is adapted to pivotally carry hydraulic cylinders or jacks236. These legs 232 and pins 235 define upstanding yoke-like frameswhich have their upper ends disposed approximately centrally of the endsof the track frames and their lower ends disposed adjacent the forwardand rear ends of the track frames whereby to effect abetter and moreuniform distribution of stresses which are developed in the operation ofthe control means of our invention. T

A pair of forwardly extending pusher arms 23'! are pivotally connectedto the tracklayer frames 6, as shown at 238 adjacent the rear ends ofthe latter for supporting the blade 236. The rear ends of the pusherarms 23'! are provided with the upwardly extending lever arms 239 whichare pivotally connected at the upper endsto the piston rods 24d of thecylinders 23!.

. Diagonal braces 2 are interposed between the ing said pusher arms forraising one end of the blade and lowering the lower. Said power actuateddevices are also adapted tobe operated simultaneously for raising andlowering said blade as desired. In all operations of the control meansthe blade is under positive control and is held in position by the poweractuated means and adjusted thereby in such a manner that no stressesare set up which tend to lift the tracks or distort or damage the frame,levers, and associated control parts. Moreover the control elements areso positioned and related to one another and track frames and pusherarms that the movement of the tracks when traveling over rough groundwill not lift and move the blade out of set position.

The forward ends of pusher arms 231 ma carry various forms of earthmoving implements; in this instance however, the form illustrated in thedrawing is shown as comprising a head 242 flexibly mounted on the pusherarms 231 by means of the pin and slot connection 243 which permitstransverse movement of the forward ends of pusher arms 231 relative tothe head 242. A substantial clearance between the upper and lower ears244 of the head 242 and the endsof the pusher arms .231 completes theflexibility of the connection by allowing play in the vertical planebetween the ends of pusher arms 231 and the ears 244 on head 242. Thisflexibility is necessary for transverse tilting of head 242 by theindependent actuation of pusher arm 231.

The front of head 242 is of triangular'shape with the apex projectingforwardly for carrying pivotally mounted thereon, as at 245, thereversible blade 246. Suitable links 241 are used for holding the blade246 in its set positions.

Any suitable hydraulic system may be used for actuating the cylinders23!; in this instance cylinders mounted on the upper ends of said up-'standing frames and extending rearwardly therefrom, and piston rodsassociated with said cylinders and connected with said lever arms, saidtrack frames of the tractor adjacent the rear ends of said track frames,a blade carriedat the forward ends of said arms, lever arms fixed attheir lower ends 'to the rear ends of said pusher arms and having freeupper ends whereby each lever may be operated independently of theother, upstanding yoke-like frames straddling the track of the tractorand fixed to the track frames, said upstanding frames having their upperends located at, points forwardly of the upper ends of said lever arms,and power operated devices connected with said upper ends of saidupstanding frames and with the upper ends of said lever 'arms and beingindependently and simultanelever arms being unconnected with parts otherthan said pusher arms and piston rods and thereby free for independentoperation, and means for independently operating said hydrauliccylinders to extend and retract said piston rods.

2. A tractor operated trailbuilder includin pusher arms pivoted attheir. rear ends to the ously operable for rocking said lever arms andraising or lowering said pusher arms to determine the position of saidblade.

3. A tractor operated trailbuilder including pusher arms pivoted attheir rear ends adjacent the rear ends of the track frames of thetractor, a blade carried between the forward ends of said arms, leverarms fixed at their lower-ends adjacent the rear ends of said pusherarms and having free upper ends whereby each lever may be operatedindependently, upstanding yokelike frames straddling the track of thetractor and fixed to the track frames, said upstanding frames havingtheir upper ends located at points approximately midway of the ends ofthe track frames and forwardly of the upper ends of said lever arms, andpower operated devices connected with said'upper ends of said upstandingframes and with the upper ends of saidlever arms and being independentlyand 'simultane'- ouly. operable for rocking said lever arms and raisingor lowering said pusher arms, each of said upstanding frames havingforwardly and rearwardly extending portions secured respectivelyadjacent the forward and rear ends and on opposite sides of said trackframes.

4. In combination, a .track laying tractor,

pusher arms pivoted on the track frames of the tractor and extendingforwardly therefrom, a blade supported by and between the forward endsof said arms, upstanding lever arms fixed at their lower ends to saidpusher arms and being free at their upper ends, upstanding membersmounted on the track frames and having free upper ends disposed inforwardly spaced relation to said lever arms, and power actuated devicesflexibly connected with and extending between the free upper ends ofsaid lever arms and upstanding members respectively and adapt-- ed to beoperated for independently and simultaneously rocking said lever arms.

5. In combination, a track laying tractor, pusher arms pivoted on thetrack frames of the tractor and extending forwardly therefrom, a blade,supported by and between the forward ends of said arms, upstanding leverarms fixed at their lower ends to said-pusher arms and being free attheir upper ends, upstanding frames mounted on the track frames andhaving free upper ends disposed in forwardly spaced relation to saidlever arms, and power actuated devices flexibly connected with andextending between the free upper ends of said lever arms and upstandingframes respectively and adapted to be operated for independently andsimultaneously rocking said lever arms, each of said upstanding frameshaving members disposed on opposite sides of the track frame to which itis secured and having its free upper end located substantially midwaybetween and over saidv opposite sides.

6. In combination, a tractor, pusher arms in-- dependently pivoted onthe track frames of the tractor, an earth moving blade carried by saidarms, lever arms fixed to and operable for relatively moving said pusherarms, and power actuated devices connecting said lever arms with saidtractor and operable for relatively moving said lever arms and pusherarms so as to tilt said blade and maintain it in tilted position.

7. In combination, a, tractor, pusher arms independently connected withrigid parts of the tractor for movement relative to one another, anearth moving blade, means for flexibly connecting said blade with saidarms so that the arms may be relatively moved to tilt the blade withoutdistorting of the-blade or arms, lever arms rigidly connected to andoperable for relatively moving said pusher arms and power actuateddevices connected with said lever arms and operable for relativelymoving said pusher arms so as to tilt the blade and maintain it intilted position.

8. In combination, a tractor, pusher arms connected with the outer sidesof the track frames of the tractor for movement relative to one another,an earth moving blade connected with said arms so that it will tilt whenthe arms are relatively moved, lever arms rigidly connected to andoperable for relatively moving said pusher arms, power actuated devicesconnected with said tractor and said lever arms and including hydrauliccylinders and pistons disposed substantially at right angles to saidlever arms. and means for independently operating said power actuateddevices.

9. In an earth moving device, the combination with a tractor, of pusherarms pivotally connected to the tractor and extending forwardly thereof,a blade carried by said pusher arms in front of the tractor for engagingand moving material upon forward movement, of the tractor, and means forraising said blade, such means comprising lever arms connected with thepusher arms adjacent the rear ends of the latter, and which lever armsextend upwardly from thepusher arms so that a backward push on saidlever arms will rotate said pusher arms about their pivots to raise -theblade, and hidraulic jacks pivotally mounted on the tractor andconnected with the upper ends of the lever arms and operable to exertpressure thereon to efiect rotation of the pusher arms about theirpivots and thus raise the blade.

LENO'. BIB-1)., EDWARD P. DRAKE.

